No Doubt
by Sahara-hype
Summary: One month into his presidency, Fitzgerald Grant unapologetically hooks up with Olivia Pope, who he has more feelings for than he'd like to admit. What he doesn't know is that Olivia Pope about to become his Vice President. Will they stop? CAN they stop?
1. Chapter 1

March 26th, 2015

White House

"Fitz...are you listening to me?"

Fitzgerald Grant reluctantly raised his light blue eyes from the golden table cloth and inhaled deeply. "We'll talk about this later, Mellie."

Mellie Grant looked like she had just been slapped across the face, leaving Fitz to sigh again. He hadn't meant to disrespect his wife, but he couldn't stand arguing in front of his son, Teddy. He couldn't stand arguing at all, period. He just didn't see the point. Not anymore.

Mellie slapped her hand on the table next to her plate, making Teddy look up at his father. "Fitzgerald, you got inaugurated one month ago and you're approval rate is already in the lower thirties. That has to be some kind of record. How can you single handedly be the most disliked President of the United States?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Fitzgerald joked, to lighten the mood if nothing else.

But Mellie narrowed her eyes, obviously not in a laughing mood. "We have to do something. Now. Or else you won't live to see a second term."

Fitz gently bounced their four year old son on his knee. "Everything is going to be okay, Mels. But if we're being fair, it's not me they hate. It's the entire administration- especially Sally. Nobody can trust her." He paused, frustrated. "Hell, I can't even trust her. How can we ever get anything done?"

Mellie rolled her sea blue eyes before getting up, napkin thrown on chair. "Figure it out."

* * *

"Can we talk for a second?" Cyrus approached Fitz the next morning, which happened to be Easter. The President was about to go on the Truman Balcony and deliver a brief introduction to welcome all the guests to the annual Easter Egg Roll.

It was a defining moment for Fitz, but he didn't feel up to it. He had no idea how to bring back the charisma and image that won America over on his campaign trail. He was heartbroken and totally disconnected. The worst part? Nobody seemed to notice - or care.

Fitz tightened his golden tie and nodded curtly at Cyrus. "What is it?"

Cyrus lowered his voice. "Mellie came to speak to me after you went to bed last night."

Fitz rolled his eyes. He found that very hard to believe…he didn't get much sleep these days. "Ignore her, Cy."

Cyrus chose to instead ignore Fitz. "Listen, I know there is a problem in the administration. And it's definitely not you...it's Sally."

Fitz couldn't disagree.

"Frankly, Sally is too conservative and cold," Cyrus said, as if Fitz didn't already know this. "The American people want someone they can relate to and that's just not her."

"Good luck getting her to step down." Fitz mumbled.

"For this administration? I'll do anything," Cyrus whispered in a serious tone. He broke into a small smile. "And I think I'm already a step ahead of the game. I'm thinking about her replacement."

"Andrew Nichols?" Fitz offered.

"A white man won't win over the liberals," Cyrus said frankly. "I'm thinking of an old friend of mines. Not the most well known candidate. In fact, I'm not sure you even know of her. But once I have her vetted, you'll be impressed, sir."

Fitz shrugged. It couldn't get much worse than Sally, he reasoned. "Are you gonna tell me who it is?"

"I don't want to jinx it," Cyrus began. "I don't want you to rush to conclusions about her. She is inexperienced. But honestly, sir, she is a political genius. You two think alike and I believe you'll be a helluva team."

"Who is it, Cyrus?" Fitz asked impatiently.

But Cyrus walked away, leaving an even more frustrated Fitz to walk onto the balcony. Alone.

As he almost always was.

* * *

Olivia Pope's brown eyes gazed at Fitzgerald Grant over the rim of her second glass of wine. She had seen pictures and videos, of course, but it was becoming so evident to her how attractive he really was.

From his fit figure, to his light brown curly hair, to those eyes. Yes, Olivia had a thing for those sad blue eyes.

It intrigued her, seeing him in person. Although his approval ratings were trash, Liv always knew better. She knew his ideas, his goals, his plans and she wanted to help him. And he definitely needed it.

She watched as he towered over the thousand plus guests on the Truman Balcony. She listened as he genuinely thanked them for coming. She pulled out her iPhone immediately and began typing notes - everything from how he was standing, to his tone and facial expressions.

She knew she wasn't a campaign manager anymore, but she couldn't work with Fitzgerald if he wasn't on his one hundred.

She waited a few more minutes, typed a few dozen more notes and then politely tucked her phone back in her clutch. She couldn't help but notice the lack of communication between the President and the First Lady. They held hands, but didn't even look at each other. It looked forced and certainly wouldn't help their approval ratings.

"Again, thank you all for coming," Fitzgerald announced to the South Lawn. "Please enjoy the beautiful day celebrating this joyous holiday."

The First Lady then introduced a pop singer and they both went inside, through separate doors.

Olivia cringed at the sight of that. It just looked so uncomfortable and everyone on the lawn could sense it. Liv quickly grabbed her Visitor's Badge and slipped it over the collar of her maroon lace dress. She went over and was escorted into the entrance of the White House.

* * *

"I need to speak with him," Olivia announced to the Chief of Staff's Secretary. "Now."

"Mr. Beene is off enjoying the event," the Secretary explained, for the fifth time.

Olivia rolled her eyes. She was knew she was being stubborn, but she also knew that the administration needed her help - immediately. She had been a White House intern once, in between classes at GeorgeTown, and she knew how they worked. If Cyrus said he needed her, he would make the time to see her.

"Ms. Pope, I'm going to have to ask you to -" the Secretary began, but was cut off by a figure behind her.

"Is there a problem?" Fitzgerald Grant asked the two girls.

The Secretary stepped aside immediately and stayed in her lane as Fitz walked closer to Olivia.

His eyes were attached to hers. He found them absolutely infatuation, a dark mix of brown and hazel. He had seen them on the balcony - her eyes were the only ones glued to her phone and not on him. He found it really funny and cute.

But up close, there was nothing funny about this girl. She was absolutely breathtaking. Maybe it was the dress - a lacy one that managed to be classy and revealing at the same time. Or maybe it was her absolutely flawless mocha skin. But once again, it came back to her eyes. She was beautiful and there was no question about it.

"H-hi," Olivia stuttered. She had expected herself to be calm with this but holy shit, it was the President. He was twelve inches away from her - talking to her. And he was so incredibly attractive.

"Hi," Fitz couldn't help but smile.

Olivia inhaled deeply and began walking. He walked with her, down the hall. He would follow her anywhere at this point. "Have we met before?"

"I don't think so," Olivia began, then pause. "Well, I did run for congress once, but…"

"You lost?" Fitz grinned, hoping she would catch his playfulness.

Luckily, she gasped in fake offense. "I'll have you know that I would have won…if I didn't quit."

Fitz kept his eyes on her - it was impossible to take them anywhere else. "I do know you. You were running for Virginia Congresswomen last year...you were up in the polls, you know."

"I do know, thank you," Olivia smirked, inching closer to him. She didn't do it intentionally - he just had a warm aura around him and she didn't want to be any further. "But then I got a call from my friend. He had bigger plans for me."

"Bigger than congress?"

Olivia hesitated, wondering exactly how much she could say. Finally, she sighed. "Much bigger."'

Fitz and Olivia collectively stopped in front of a door in the virtually empty hallway. "Okay, I'll accept that answer. Can I help you find who you're looking for?"

Olivia opened her mouth, only to find that she had forgotten. She'd forgotten everything. Fitzgerald Grant had that effect on her. "I don't really know, Mr. President."

"It's Fitz," he corrected her, his voice lowered a few octaves. "Call me Fitz."

Olivia looked away. What the hell was going on? Her heart was beating so fast and the reason was beyond her. She moved a curl away from the side of her face. "That would be...inappropriate."

Fitz's eyes trailed from her eyes, to her lips, to her neck. "Then let's be inappropriate."

Olivia stared at him. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know," Fitz admitted in a whisper. And he really didn't know. All he knew is that he wanted her for whatever reason. He never felt the need to cheat on Mellie, even though the relationship was trash. He never felt the need to…until now. With this incredibly gorgeous, amazingly bright...stranger. "I don't know."

Olivia glared at his eyes, hoping to find an answer. She didn't have one. And she wasn't sure why she wasn't walking away. It's what she usually would have done. But this was different.

He was different.

Fitzgerald cleared his throat, trying to force himself back to reality. She looked uncomfortable and he really wasn't trying to make her feel that way. He would hate himself if he did. "I, um...I'm sorry…"

Olivia looked back up at him one last time. All she could manage to say was 'Don't be' before she pulled him into the room behind both of them.

* * *

Fitz's hands made their way from her waist down to her ass. His lips grazed against her jaw, then eventually back up to her mouth for a full kiss.

Olivia leaned back a table top, her hands completely entangled in his curls. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she tilted her head back, allowing him access to her neck. He lowered his mouth on her kissed her neck. Olivia parted her mouth and her hands went down to Fitz's broad shoulders. Her nails dug into his shirt roughly but he didn't stop. There were very few things that could make him stop and a few scratches were not on the list.

Cyrus, however, was. He opened the door without realizing what the hell was going on. "Liv, I heard you were looking for-"

Olivia and Fitz turned to face him in record speed. Fitz slowly back away, swallowing hard. Olivia simply blushed and put her fingers to her lips, where Fitz had given her the best kiss of her life.

Cyrus was in complete and utter shock for a moment. He slammed the door behind him and turned beat red. "I-...I…" He continued to literally shake from pure anger.

"Cyrus," Fitz mumbled, caring more about Olivia's feelings than his own dignity. "Stop it."

"I…" Cyrus pressed his lips together. "I see you've met the new VP candidate."

Like he had said, one hell of a team.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So, um...hi.**

 **First and foremost, thank you all for your kind reviews, follows and favorites. They mean a lot to me. This is a very different concept for a fanfiction for me, as this will exclusively be in third person POV. I hope I do well. :)**

 **Secondly, I'm so sorry for not wrapping up 'Certain Things'. I loved that story but every writer knows that when you get a new idea, you have to pursue it. And I am very excited about this one. I've gotten so many nice PMs ever since and I appreciate all of them.**

 **If you haven't read any of my previous stories, I hope you'll enjoy this one. The first chapter was just testing the waters - the next few chapters will be longer. . And you should know that I don't always proofread my chapters and I'm in high school (lmao) so I'm open to criticism and corrections. This is my third time writing Olitz and you show know that it's always endgame. Always feel free to drop a PM into my inbox if you want to! I'll reply that same day, I promise. :)**

 **If you ever want to talk about Scandal, like I always do, follow me on tumblr: idle-aesthetic or my new Twitter - saharahype**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

Fitz bit the inside of his lip, conflicted on exactly what to do. He wanted to stay in the room with Olivia, make sure she was okay, he wanted that more than anything.

But the situation was bigger than either of them and he had to talk to Cyrus.

Still, he wordlessly turned to Olivia.

"Go," she whispered, not being able to look at him directly. " _Go_."

Fitz didn't know what else to do other than to listen to her. He mumbled an apology and raced out the room and down the hall, where Cyrus silently paced away.

Fitz had never cheated on Mellie, not ever. Cyrus had no words. This obviously meant something more and that scared the shit out of him.

"Cy!" Fitz practically ran to him, out of breath. He shrugged his jacket back on and sighed. "Why the hell didn't you tell me Olivia Pope was your pick?"

Cyrus just shook his head, at a loss for words. He was in disbelief.. "You never asked...and it doesn't matter. That wouldn't have stopped you from screwing her."

"I didn't," Fitz protested in a hushed voice. "We didn't have sex."

Cyrus looked away. "It doesn't matter. The last thing this administration needs is a sex scandal this early on. Getting impeached before the first hundred days? That would be your legacy."

Fitz hesitated. He didn't want to be impeached - who does? At the same time, what he had felt with Olivia a few minutes ago….damn.

"This won't happen again with us," Fitz tried, not even being able to convince himself. "I'm...sorry. It was a one time thing, Cyrus. She's great."

Cyrus scoffed. "I'm sure she is."

"What I'm trying to say," Fitz exhaled. "Is that she would be a perfect fit in the administration. You have to see that. Nothing will happen between us, not ever again."

Cyrus chuckled and shook his head. "The way you you were holding her when I walked in? The way you looked at her….like she was the only person you'd ever need. That kind of feeling doesn't just go away."

* * *

Fitz walked back down the hall, expecting Olivia to be gone. But she was still in the room, her hair slightly messed up, carrying one heel against her chest.

"Um…"

Olivia looked up and that's when Fitz saw she was crying. Well, not full on waterworks. But her big brown eyes were wet and she had the most exhausted look on her face.

"I-i'm sorry," she began softly. "I was gonna leave but I...I can't find my other shoe."

"It's okay," Fitz assured her gently, walking into the room.

He pretended to help her look for her shoe but really, his focus was on her yet again. She was smart - more than that. She was gifted, brilliant, beautiful, compassionate, everything Mellie wasn't and more. Could he really work side by side with her and not be tempted?

Fitz didn't know, but he knew one thing...she would make an excellent Vice President.

He opened his mouth to say something, but Olivia surprisingly beat him to it. "I'm sorry. I should have told you Cy was offering me the job. This shouldn't have happened." She paused and wiped the side of her face. "I'm sorry it did."

Fitz pressed his lips together. "I'm not."

Olivia looked up at him as he leaned back against a table. "You shouldn't say that, Fitz."

"We shouldn't do a lot of things," Fitz admitted. Strangely enough, he did not feel a bit of guilt. Just confusion. "I want you on my team, Livvy."

Olivia raised her eyebrows and despite everything, she smirked. "'Livvy'?"

"Livvy," he repeated, then smiled at her, his dimples popping. "Do a lot of people call you that?"

Olivia turned away shyly, not being able to hide her grin. Despite the seriousness of the situation, she still really liked Fitz. He was so much sweeter and compassionate than the media revealed him to be. "No. You're the first."

"I'm honored," Fitz walked up behind her and looked at her unzipped dress. "Can I?"

Olivia agreed, not being able to stop herself.

Fitz closed the door with one foot and proceeded to zip her dress for her. He was so relieved she seemed okay. He liked seeing her smile - she had a gorgeous one. "So, you never answered my question. Will you stay on board? The administration could use someone like you."

"That sounds wrong," Olivia mumbled in a grave tone. "And you know it. I'm trying to be here for the right reasons."

Fitz sighed. "I know. But I swear I'm not using you for sexual satisfaction, Livvy."

Olivia turned around, her arms now crossed in front of her chest. "I just met you and in a matter of minutes, you already had my dress unzipped and me feeling all hot and bothered. How am I supposed to believe you?"

"You'll have to trust me," Fitz breathed. Then, a slow grin spread across his face. "I had you all hot and bothered?"

Olivia rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm being honest here, Liv," Fitz pleaded with her. He needed her to believe him. She was…so much more. "You are worth so much more. I'm begging you, Olivia. We need you. I need you. The country needs you."

Olivia hesitated, but in her heart she knew what she was going to do. Still, she had some reluctance. "And how do I know we won't do this again? You have a country to run, Fitz, and you cannot do it when you're making out with girls in conference rooms."

Fitz smiled through the painful truth in that. "I know. But don't like it won't be hard for you either."

"Don't flatter yourself," Olivia scoffed and slid her heel on. "And I'm serious, Fitz."

"I'm serious too."

Olivia lowered her eyes. "And what about...Mellie?"

"What about her?" Fitz tried to not feel the sting of his wife's name.

In some ways, yes, of course he felt bad. She was the mother of his son and he loved her. But he wasn't in love with her. Still…they had at least four more years together.

"I'm not telling her."

Olivia simply nodded, knowing that was the best way to go. "And how exactly do you and Cy plan to get Sally to leave the Vice Presidency?"

"Leave that to us," Fitz smiled, not having a clue as to her answer. "You're job is to be vetted and bring our approval ratings up."

"About your ratings," Olivia smiled sheepishly and pulled her phone out of her clutch. "I wrote a few notes this morning."

Fitz glanced over the very detailed, very observant notes on her phone screen. "You were stalking me, essentially."

"I prefer annotating," Olivia smirked before taking her phone back. She paused. "You and Mellie…you seemed a bit distant."

"I know that," Fitz said, more upset than angry. Still, he knew his tone was sharp. "I'm not trying to be rude, but we have a communications director, Liv."

"Of course," Olivia nodded, but even she could see Fitz was taking her notes seriously. "Um...can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

Olivia frowned. "Cyrus...what if he doesn't want me in the White House after what he saw?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," Fitz admitted honestly. "But you don't work for him, you work for me."

Olivia tried to ignore the sexiness of his firm voice. "I guess. Anyway...I guess I'll take the job, if you can make it happen."

Fitz put his hands in his pockets. "I can make anything happen. I'll have you in the Naval Observatory by the next few months."

"I'm glad to hear that," Olivia beamed and located her other heel. In most ways, she really was glad. She quickly slid it on and smiled again at Fitz. It was difficult not to smile at him. "This is…riveting."

Fitz grinned. It was pretty riveting for him too. "I think you will make an incredible Vice President, Livvy."

Olivia and Fitz locked their eyes together and in that moment, there was not a doubt in his tone or their relationship.

"T-thank you," Olivia pulled her eyes away, blushing. "That means a lot to me. But I should get going and so should you."

"Of course," Fitz agreed, but he wasn't happy about it.

They both walked out the door, trying to look as professional as possible. The hallway outside, though, was still empty.

Olivia took the opportunity to turn to him and inhaled. "May I say something?"

"Of course."

Olivia looked up and one more time, met his eyes honestly. "I think you're a wonderful President."

And she meant it.

"Thank you."

And he meant it.

After an intimate moment of silence, Olivia cleared her throat. "So what happened here...it can never happen again."

"Of course not."

"Okay," Olivia said slowly.

Fitz tried to read her expression but he couldn't quite pick it up. Olivia, with one last smile, walked away.

Leaving Fitz to wonder when the hell he was going to see her again


	3. Chapter 3

"How can I help you, Cy?" Fitz asked, daring to look him in the eye after two weeks. "I have work to do."

Cyrus slapped down a file on the desk. "You can start by telling me why the hell you're looking into having Olivia Pope sworn in as Vice President."

"Because she is amazing and she would be a fantastic Vice President," Fitz replied candidly.

And it was true. Olivia had the best qualifications - she graduated from GeorgeTown, then Harvard. She was valedictorian. She was a scholar on all levels and she had radiant recommendations from everywhere she worked. She usually was her own boss however, and she worked as a political campaign manager doing her undergrad, until she actually got into state level politics herself. She was perfect for the job, quite frankly. She was just what America needed, a breath of fresh air.

She was also all Fitz could think about for the last two weeks.

"We've been over this, sir," Cyrus braced his palms on the edge of the mahogany table. "There are at least a dozen other candidates I can have vetted -"

"Then have them vetted," Fitz cut off loudly. "And have them go home. Because I have made up my mind. Olivia Pope will be the next Vice President of the United States."

"I don't have to tell you what's wrong with that plan," Cyrus muttered through his teeth. "You should already know."

Fitz rolled his eyes. "I'm not some teenaged boy who can't keep it in his pants. Olivia is for the country, not for my own...personal desires."

Cyrus cringed - that was way too much information for him. Frankly, he didn't care who Fitz was screwing or not. He just needed it to be lowkey…and the Vice President? Definitely not lowkey. That would be the biggest scandal in American politics and it hadn't even been one hundred days yet.

"Do you ever think about Mellie?" Cyrus tried one last time. "Teddy? What will they think?"

Fitz bit his lip. He hadn't told Mellie, only because she would make sure there was no way in hell Liv would get the job. Mellie had been unfaithful before but it was not a matter of revenge. Olivia was not revenge. She was so much more.

"What happens between my family and I is none of your concern," Fitz cocked his head. "Just like what happens between Olivia and I is none of your concern. But if you must now, we have mutually agreed to keep it completely professional."

"And how easy will that be?" Cyrus challenged. "Olivia is a beautiful girl. You are a handsome guy. And your minds are equally as attractive. How long do you think before -"

"Stop," Fitz raised his hand. "I'm not discussing this with you. I don't have feelings for Olivia."

Cyrus slowly took a seat next to Fitz. "Fitzgerald, I know you like my own son. Which is why I'm gonna say…bullshit."

Fitz didn't respond. Cyrus was, as usual, completely right. But Fitz was a man of ideas - one being that Olivia would be a great VP, so great that one day she would go ahead and run for POTUS. The country could use a leader like her. She was terrific. But again, Cy was right - resisting her and staying faithful to Mellie would be an uphill battle.

"Does she like you?" Cyrus asked.

"I think so," Fitz sighed.

What he really meant was 'I hope so'.

* * *

Olivia rolled her eyes when she heard her phone buzz next to her. It was almost three in the morning and her mother kept on calling her, checking up. Granted, Olivia had been very anxious and Maya Pope had plenty of reason to worry.

Olivia picked up the phone and sighed, trying to make her voice sound sleepy. Her mother did not need to know that she had not slept in…well, two weeks? "What is it, Mom?"

"Please hold for the President."

Olivia sat against the headboard. Up until now, Olivia only received emails from the White House and they were never from Fitz directly. She was genuinely surprised. Why was he calling so late?

"Hi," a familiar voice came through a click later. It felt as though he was right next to her.

"Hi," Olivia replied very softly, as if someone next to her was sleeping. But there was nobody beside her. She was alone…like always. "Did you talk to Cyrus?"

"What are you doing right now?" Fitz asked, ignoring her question completely.

"I was sleeping," Olivia lied. "Until you selfishly woke me up."

Fitz caught on to her playful banter and laughed. "Most people would be ecstatic to get a late night call from me."

"I'm not most people," Olivia joked, but it brought them both to a short silence.

"No," Fitz agreed quietly. "No, you're not."

Again, silence.

Olivia laid her back to the mattress again and looked up at the darkness. Even with her eyes open, she could reimagine that time two weeks ago...how they looked at each other...how his hands felt on her waist…

But that was over. Way over. She had to stop thinking about it. She had to.

"Did you talk to Cyrus?" Olivia asked again, after a minute.

Fitz sighed. "I did. But like I said, it's not his say, it's mine. Do you have time to stop by the White House tomorrow and meet with our Com Director?"

"I can think of less important things to do," Olivia agreed sarcastically.

Fitz genuinely laughed. "We'll send a car for you."

"Thank you," Olivia said politely, even though she had her own car. She sighed herself. Against her better judgment, she wanted to stay on the phone with him a bit longer. But she knew that wasn't the right choice. "Anything else, Mr. President?"

"Call me that again."

Olivia burst out laughing, making Fitz grin again. "What?"

"Please say it again," Fitz pleaded, only half joking. "It sounds sexy…"

Olivia smirked and shook her head. "Goodnight, Fitz."

* * *

 **AN: Since this was a really short chapter, I will update again tonight. And To anyone who may be wondering, I am updating 'Certain Things' tonight also. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

"Why are you up so early?"

Fitz looked over at his - her bed, Mellie sprawled across the middle. "Good morning to you, too."

Mellie got up from her bed and walked past Fitz's makeshift one on the couch. She watched him as he buckled his belt. Raising an eyebrow, she crossed her arms. "You look nice. Why?"

"I'm the President, Mels," Fitz leaned close to the mirror and fixed his superman curl. "That's in the job description."

"Speaking of job description," Mellie began slowly, still staring uneasily at Fitz. "I heard the new VP pick will be vetted today."

Fitz lowered his eyes, trying to look like he has nothing to hide. Didn't he? "Yes."

"What can you tell me about her?" Mellie walked over to Fitz and tightened his tie, making him cringe slightly. "I mean, besides the fact that she failed her senate run."

"She dropped out," Fitz corrected defensively. "She had it in the bag. Olivia is…brilliant. And she will make an excellent VP."

"It can't get much worse than Sally," Mellie mumbled. She stepped back and analyzed Fitz with an approving nod.

Fitz looked back in the mirror. For whatever reason, he was trying to impress Olivia. And he hoped he could.

"She's pretty, don't you think?" Mellie asked casually.

"Who?"

"Olivia."

Fitz played his next move cautiously. "She is attractive enough for optics, sure."

That had to single handedly be the biggest lie he ever told. Olivia was gorgeous. And it hurt him to not be able to say so.

Fitz cleared his throat. "Why are you asking?"

Mellie shrugged. "I just...find it wishful thinking that this girl can spin your approval ratings. You know what I mean? She looks like America's Next Top Model, not like America's next new Vice President."

Fitz didn't say anything. Maybe it was wishful thinking. But he knew that something about Olivia changed him. It made him excited to get up. It made him want to do better...it made him want to be better.

"Being pretty doesn't mean you can't be smart," Fitz finally said. "It doesn't mean that you can't be brilliant. It doesn't mean you can't change the world."

* * *

Olivia waited patiently in the elegant White House meeting room. While she was confident about being vetted, she was nervous about running into Fitz again.

He was amazing and she was scared. She knew that whether she got the job or not, one way or another they would themselves alone in a room. And even if he kept his promises and stayed professional, she didn't know if she could do the same.

"Hi,"Abby Whelan, the the Communications Director entered the room. She held out her hand and smiled. "It is so nice to meet you, Ms. Pope."

Olivia smiled, but her focus was on the person who entered after Abby. "Likewise, Ms. Whelan." She sat down, her gaze at Fitz. "Mr. President, I didn't know you'd be joining us."

"Today and the weeks that follow will be historic," Fitz said with a grin that made Liv blush. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Abby decided to ignore the way that they looked at each other. "So, should we get started? We obviously have a lot to discuss."

"Yes," Olivia folded her hands, forcing herself to get it together. "My biggest concern is that Sally Langston is still Vice President. Have you spoke to her about stepping down?"

Fitz cleared his throat and took a seat himself, next to Abby. He knew that if he sat next to Olivia, his hands would find themselves somewhere on her thighs and that definitely wasn't ideal for the situation.

"I'm taking care of Sally," Fitz assured her. "I'm going to promise big donations and my unwavering support during the next election, when I know she plans to run for President herself. What's that thing you said during your senate campaign? It's handled. I'm handling it."

Olivia chuckled. "Yes, but...what if I planned to run? For President, I mean?"

"If you mean next election against President Grant, absolutely not," Abby quickly said.

"Not next election," Olivia corrected her. "Trust me, with me as your VP, you'll have next election in the bag."

Fitz smiled. He liked the sound of that.

"I mean after that," Olivia continued. "Eight years in….would you support me?"

Fitz wondered what type of question that was. Of course he would support her. He would be there for her whenever she needed in every way. He would follow her into the dark. But he just nodded firmly.

"Well," Abby cleared her throat. "We will cross that bridge when we get to it. As for now, I would like to discuss your political experience. During the senate run, you were very vocal on education."

"Education is everything," Olivia said confidently. "Everyone relates to it, everyone is affected by it and I think your State of the Union Address should be centered around it."

Fitz looked at Abby, impressed. He had told it to Mellie that morning, but now he was personally seeing it prove itself - you truly can be both beautiful and intelligent.

"What we are really looking for here is smooth transition," Abby explained. "That is the key to it all. The quicker we can get you into office without conflict or scandal is the better. I take you and the President get along very well?"

For the first time since she sat down, Olivia paused and stuttered. "I...I mean…"

"We get along great," Fitz covered for her with a genuine smile. "Of course there is plenty of room to get to know each other more."

Olivia regained focus and smiled. "Of course."

"'Mm," Abby nodded, ignorant to their obvious chemistry. "And what about you and Mellie?"

The question caught Olivia off guard. "Hm?"

"The First Lady," Abby said, slower and more clearly. "Do you two get along?"

Olivia paused and glanced at Fitz. He didn't look back. "To be completely honest, we don't talk. We never have."

Abby set her pen down. "That is going to have to change. You two are going to be best friends. What we need America to see are women of power getting along, not in competition."

"I understand," Olivia forced a smile. "And I agree."

Abby paused, waiting for her to say more. But she didn't. An uneasy silence came across the three of them.

"You have a great past," Abby finally said. "Fantastic references and education. The public will love you."

"I know," Olivia said confidently. "I wouldn't take this job if I didn't do well for optics. I'm here to bring up approvals ratings and make this the best administration...in history."

This made both Fitz and Abby smile.

"I think you'll do good," Abby concluded.

Fitz cleared his throat. "I _know_ she'll do _great_."


	5. Chapter 5

"How do I look?" Mellie flatten her skirt with her hands and did a turn in front of the mirror. "Appropriate for a Vice President swearing in ceremony?"

Fitz ignored Mellie. He was too busy trying to calm down his sobbing two year old son. "Mellie, Teddy's fever has not gone down since Saturday night."

Mellie leaned over to grab her watch. "And that's my problem because?"

Fitz narrowed his eyes, his hand stroking Teddy's short, curly brown hair. "He's your son, Mellie! You're supposed to care."

"Of course I care," Mellie argued, with her infamous eye roll. But she refused to look at her son...or husband. "But what can we do? He has a nanny. And we have to go."

And Fitz wanted to go. He really, truly did. How could he not want to go see his VP sworn in? Especially when she was...Olivia.

It had been easy to get Sally to step down...almost too easy. They would say she had family commitments, someone died or something like that, which would also give her a sympathy vote when she ran for President. Fitz wondered if he had hell to pay though. Sally was never easy.

And when Olivia stepped into the limelight, not too long ago, she did remarkably well optics wise. She was smart but funny and not too serious...but serious enough for people to take her, well, seriously.

He was ecstatic.

But his family came first, always. And by family, he meant son. He would put Teddy before anything, and that is what he would have to do now.

"I'm not going," Fitz announced with a concerned frown. Teddy had not stopped crying for hours on end.

"Fitz!" Mellie whipped her head of brunette curls. "You have to go. You're the President. And we have a freaking nanny for the baby! Why can't you get that through your thick head?!"

Fitz closed his eyes, trying to stay calm. "I'm a dad before I'm the President. And my son needs me. He doesn't need a nanny right now. He needs a parent. And since it can't be you, it'll have to be me."

* * *

Olivia looked at Cyrus. "How do I look?"

"You look beautiful...and calm," Cyrus raised his eyebrows and set his clipboard down. "How do you look calm?"

Olivia chuckled to herself. In reality, she was not calm. Who could be calm about this? But she forced herself to take a deep breath and look confident about this whole thing.

"I'm doing okay," she finally told Cyrus. "Is he here yet?"

Cyrus decided to play dumb. Any association between Fitz and Olivia gave him a huge headache. "He. Who is 'he'?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Cyrus, you know exactly who I am talking about."

Cyrus looked away. "He's not coming."

Olivia scoffed. It was no wonder Fitz's approval ratings were so low. Skipping important ordeals like these really didn't help. It was ridiculous.

"Where is he?"

"Olivia-"

"No!" Olivia turned around, exasperated. "Tell me, where the hell is he? What could be more important than this?!"

As much as she hated to admit it, she did not want to go through this alone. She wanted him near her. She missed him...she missed him a lot. It had been weeks since they had seen each other last. She wanted him...she needed him.

"Liv, he is with his sick child."

Olivia turned around. "What?"

"Teddy was sick," Cyrus explained quietly. "And Fitz just...he felt bad. And worried. And he needed to be there for his son. He wanted to come, Liv, he really did. But he needed to stay with Teddy, because Mellie would not."

Olivia clenched her fists and forced herself not to make a scene. She wasn't sure who she was more angry at - Mellie, for not being there for her sick baby, or herself, for assuming the worst in Fitz.

But how can you assume the worst in someone who just wants to be there for his son?

Cyrus touched Olivia's forearm. "It does not matter. You are going before the American people today and I do not need you distracted. I get that you like him - who doesn't? But you cannot let a little crush get in the way of what you're supposed to do. Who the country needs you to be."

Olivia pushed Cyrus off her. She was going to do her job - of course she was. And she would kick ass at it to. But something was distracting her.

Still, Cyrus was wrong about one thing.

It was not just a little crush.

It was more than that.

A lot more.

* * *

'Just one week after Sally Langston sent her resignation letter to President Grant," the news voiceover announced as they ran footage from Olivia being sworn in that afternoon. "Olivia Carolyn Pope was officially sworn in as Vice President of the United States."

Fitz smiled softly and grabbed the remote next to him. He turned up the volume on the television.

"Ms. Pope, despite her youth and inexperience, shows high approvals ratings and is apparently favorable among both parties," the voiceover continued. "President Grant, although unable to attend the ceremony because he was taking care of his under the weather two year old, commented on how optimistic he is about the future of his administration, Ms Pope now on board."

Fitz raised his eyebrows. He thought for sure that they would come up with an excuse as to why he could not attend…something among the lines of 'Foreign Policy Emergency'. But he had obviously thought wrong. They actually told the truth.

Now, with Teddy finally asleep, Fitz concluded exactly how beautiful Olivia looked at the swearing in. She had potential and he knew it - she was bright, brilliant and everything in between. She had this light in her eyes that was the closest to magic Fitz had ever been close to.

Fitz got up to put a bottle in the fridge for Teddy when he woke up.

He made his way through the spacious residence and into the kitchen when a Secret Service Agent stopped him. "Sir?"

"Yes?"

"There's someone waiting outside the residence for you," the agent paused. "I didn't know if you wanted me to let her in or not."

Fitz raised his eyebrows. "Who?"

"Olivia Pope, sir."


	6. Chapter 6

**AN : Hi. I'm not going to lie - I had the urge to delete this story after yesterday's episode. I think every fic writer felt the same way. But...after spending the whole day ugly crying, I realized that people are going to be leaning on stories more and more, especially since canon is so horribly painful. I don't have words for how I felt when I saw Liv get the abortion. I just have pathetic hope that this is not the end for Olitz.**

 **If you ever want to talk about Scandal with me, follow me on Twitter; saharahype**

 **Hopefully you enjoy this chapter and I love you all so much. :)**

* * *

Fitz tried to hide his surprise as the Secret Service Agent let Olivia into the front entrance of the residence. She politely thanked him and they both waited until he left.

Olivia hesitated, then walked into the spacious foyer, her heels held against her chest. The foyer/living room was large yet quiet, with a fireplace burning. Olivia stopped in front of a sofa, almost scared to sit down.

Fitz watched her closely. It was almost as if she looked even more beautiful every time he saw her. He had no clue why she was here, but he was glad she was. "Mellie's not here...you can sit."

"I know Mellie's not here. She's out celebrating the fact that we have a new Vice President." Olivia said slowly before finally sitting.

Her eyes were directed at the fire and the flames reflected in her dark brown eyes.

Fitz wondered if he had ever been so completely attracted to anyone before. He couldn't. He lowered himself into the couch in front of her, trying to read her expression. He couldn't. "Why are you not out celebrating? You deserve it."

"I know I do," Olivia joked, making him laugh and breaking the obvious tension. "But….Fitz, I spend the whole night celebrating. But not with the one person I actually wanted to celebrate with."

Fitz swallowed. How the hell was he supposed to reply to that? He could not tell if it was lust between them or something more...a lot more. All he knew is that he had the overwhelming urge to kiss her.

He leaned in, despite being a whole couch away from her. He wanted to see what she wanted, what she really wanted. Did she want to hook up again or did she want something more?

"Is that," Olivia's voice was soft and her eyes lowered to his chest. "Is that...throw up on your shirt?"

Fitz raised his eyebrows and looked down at his Henley. Sure enough, a streak of Teddy's dried vomit was on the side of it. "Um...yeah. I guess it is. It was the baby, you know-"

Olivia held up her hand. "Yeah, you don't have to explain yourself to me." She paused. "Is he feeling better?"

Fitz could tell she was genuinely concerned. "To be honest, Livvy, I don't know. I'm worried about him."

Olivia nodded slowly and then got up. She held out her hand. "Let's go see him then."

* * *

They walked hand in hand into the nursery, which was dimly lit.

Olivia looked around, impressed with the decoration and design. "Mellie did all this?"

"Pointing to colors on a clipboard is all she ever did for Teddy," Fitz mumbled regretfully.

Olivia shifted uncomfortably. It did occur to her that Mellie wasn't here with Fitz and Teddy and that was already messed up.

"Hi," Olivia smiled and moved over to the crib.

Teddy was half asleep, tossing and turning unhappily and his chubby cheeks tear stained.

"Awh," Olivia paused and leaned down to gently wipe a tear from his light brown eye. "It's okay, sweetheart. Don't cry."

"He's been sick since Saturday," Fitz sighed, looking over her shoulder. "I don't know what to do. I wanted to be there for you today, I wanted that more than anything. But I…I have an obligation, Livvy. And I know I'm a crappy father and a crappy President but-"

"Shut up," Olivia turned around, one hand still on Teddy's cheek and one now on Fitz's chest. "You are a great father, okay? And I know you can be an incredible President."

Fitz looked at her, his heart racing under her hand. "Maybe. Now that I've got an amazing partner."

It was the perfect time. Olivia leaned in, wanting to his kiss him, knowing it was right. With one hand still on his chest and the other curled in his hair, she leaned up and grazed her lips on his. He tightly pulled her in and pushed their lips together, both of his arms firmly around her wait.

But they were interrupted by Teddy suddenly waking up and screaming.

Olivia closed her eyes and patted Fitz's chest. "It's okay." She turned back towards Teddy. "Poor baby."

"Do you want to hold him?"

Olivia pressed her lips together. "I don't know if that is such a good idea. I think Mellie would be upset if she found out."

"Mellie would not give a fuck," Fitz assured her quietly. He smiled softly. "It's alright, Livvy. I think he would like you...it's kind of hard not to."

Blushing, Olivia leaned down and picked up the baby. She held him against her comfortingly and looked at his crying face. Everyone in the media always went on about how much he looked like Mellie, but she saw a lot of Fitz in him, from his light eyes to his adorable curly hair.

Teddy put his head on Olivia's shoulder and sniffed as she rubbed his back. "It's okay, baby… you're okay…."

Fitz watched in awe as Teddy's sobs subsided to sniffles and then, just as quickly, he fell right asleep against her chest. "Just like I thought. He loves you."

"Well," Olivia smirked softly. "It's kind of hard not to."

Fitz chuckled quietly and they both just stood there for a moment, in their perfect little world.

"Fitz," Olivia spoke up suddenly. "Mellie's gonna be home soon, right?"

Fitz felt his heart sink. "Yes."

"So," Olivia tried to not look as upset as she felt. "I should probably go."

"Probably," Fitz agreed regretfully. He could still feel her lips on his and he wanted her to stay. For, like, ever. But they both knew that was impossible. They both knew they had to be realistic. And they were both incredibly upset about that.

Olivia kissed Teddy's forehead and set him down. Fitz led them both back out into the foyer. He felt horrible, but he was surprised when he saw Olivia look upset too.

"Hey," he touched her shoulder softly and grinned. "You're Vice President. Smile."

Olivia managed to let out a small chuckle before her expression grew slightly serious. "What are we doing, Fitz?"

"I don't know," Fitz replied candidly. "But I'm having fun."

Olivia smirked. "I'm leaving now. Okay?"

Fitz nodded, unhappy about the fact that she had to. But he walked her to the door, just satisfied being near her. "Get home safe, okay? Goodnight, Livvy."

There was so much more that he wanted to say but he just could not bring himself to.

"Goodnight," Olivia said softly before she walked out.

Just as Fitz was ready to go to his room, knowing he would not get any sleep, Olivia cleared her throat and walked back in. "Fitz?"

Surprised, he turned around and heard the four words she said before she left, making him grin like crazy.

"I'm having fun too."


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hi guys! Thank you for all your kind PMs, reviews and follows. I'm planning to update every day of this long weekend but in case I don't get a chance to tomorrow - Happy Thanksgiving!**

 **I saw some reviews and got some very passionate PMs about how y'all don't want to watch Scandal anymore. And I totally understand - that finale was a slap in the face to all the Olitz shippers.**

 **But in my personal opinion, being pro choice, I was not angry about the abortion. I was just heartbroken. And I was upset that it was written so carelessly, so trivial. And I think it would have made more sense with a woman writing it. but I was destroyed by the Olitz fight.**

 **I was just curious about what was worse for you guys - the abortion or the fight? Let me know on here or on Twitter (my username is saharahype).**

 **Enjoy this chapter. :)**

* * *

"Now? Five months into my presidency?" Fitz looked up at Cyrus, his blue eyes widened. "You want me to go to France?"

"We don't want you to go on the summit," Cyrus came around the desk to face Fitz directly. "The American people need you to. Your favorable are going up and this summit will be the push to get you to sixty percent in your approval ratings."

Fitz leaned back in his chair, still processing the idea. "So...you want me to go to France?"

"We need you to!" Cyrus corrected him sternly. "Okay?"

Fitz nodded, knowing he didn't have much say in the matter. His presidency was going great and all the credit went to Cyrus and Olivia, so their wish was his command. "Alright, Cy."

Cyrus nodded in approval and was about to walk out of the Oval Office when Fitz cleared his throat.

"Anything else, sir?"

"It's because of Livvy," Fitz could not help but smile, leaving Cyrus very confused. "The fact that my approval ratings are going up. Everyone loves her. You know it, I know it, everyone in this administration knows it."

Cyrus looked at Fitz blankly. They hadn't discussed his relationship with Olivia. And this was okay with Cyrus - more than okay. Not discussing the relationship meant not discussing the dozens of complications that came along with it. The conflict of interest, the size of the scandal was so huge that Cyrus did not even have words for it.

"What do you want me to say?" Cyrus shrugged. "That Olivia is an answer to our prayers? She is, but forgive me sir, if I don't want to go on about how amazing your mistress is."

"She's not my mistress," Fitz had to stop himself from screaming.

Liv was not his mistress - she was so much more, he was coming to learn. She was more than anything else either of them ever had and that scared the hell out of him. But hearing Cyrus talk about her like that -... Fitz had to regulate his breathing and remind himself that Cy was like a father to him.

He knew if Cyrus went on about how little Olivia meant, his ass would be on the Oval Office floor, beat up by the President of the United States.

Fitz inhaled deeply. "My point is, Cyrus, she should come out to France with me. They love both of us there."

Cyrus looked at Fitz as if he was insane. "No. Absolutely not. The Vice President and President cannot be out of the country at the same in a foreign land."

"It's not like we're going to Iraq or anything," Fitz rolled his eyes. Maybe he was crazy but the truth was, he was going to fight for every chance to be alone with Olivia. it meant everything to him. "The Secret Service will be okay with it. Think about it, Cy. All that positive media and publicity...our approvals will be up to the seventies or eighties."

Cyrus did consider it, like he always did. He knew how much optics meant. But he did not want anything to stir up between Olivia and Fitz. As fucked up as it was, he was hoping she was a cheap, meaningless one time hook up to him and nothing more.

But he was not stupid. He saw the way they looked at each other and it made him want to scream.

Still, he was hoping it was slowly fading between them.

Little did he know that it was only the beginning.

And the attraction would only grow between them.

But it was not just attraction, not as Fitz would describe it. It felt more like he was a nervous, lovestruck teenager and she was the mysterious, beautiful girl who could not stay away.

Either way, it was between both of them and they were in it together.

"So, how do you like the office?"

* * *

Abby Wheelan had decided to stop by Olivia's new workspace and say hello. She had only been VP for a short time and Abby already knew they would get along. Olivia was nothing like she had imagined - she wasn't arrogant or shady. She was smart, funny and warm. She had this way about her that made you smile.

Olivia looked up from her document and beamed. "Hi, Abby. I love it."

"Thank you, ma'am," Abby entered slowly. "I helped pick out some decorations. I heard you were a minimalist and I kind of went with that theme."

"It's great," Olivia stood up and smiled genuinely. "And you don't have to call me 'ma'am'. Come in."

Abby knew she meant it and went on to sit on one of the sofas.

Olivia sat next to her. "Do you want some wine? I keep getting boxes of it sent in here. I feel like they want to get me drunk to test me, and it's working. I'm actually a little tipsy right now, if you know what I mean."

Abby gaped at her.

Olivia laughed. "I'm totally kidding. But I seriously have a lot of wine sent in here. Do you want a glass?"

Abby chuckled. She knew she should not be drinking on the job but Olivia was the type of person who did not make a big deal out of it. "Sure."

Olivia got up and grinned, happy for the company.

VP was a lonely job. Sure, the President was a five minute walk away but Liv was scared. She was terrified. She was not proud of what was going on between them. But she could not help the way she felt around him.

Abby took the glass Olivia offered her when she got back. "You don't have anybody else to share the wine with?"

"I prefer you," Olivia paused. "But I could think of some other people."

"I should be honored," Abby smirked and set her glass down. "Any boys included in that? The First Lady's Chief of Staff is pretty cute, right? How about any Secret Service Agents? They tend to be hot."

Olivia giggled into her glass of wine. She could not believe they were gossiping about good looking boys like middle schoolers. But she was having fun. "I mean, there is one guy."

"Ooh!" Abby's blue eyes lit up. "Tell me."

And Olivia almost did before she remembered who Abby was. The Com. Director. And a very serious person inside the inner circle. The thing was, Olivia and Fitz were not some random affair. Not some hook up. Not some simple eye contact and flirtation. They were deeper than that. She put his sick baby to sleep, for God's sake.

"Liv, tell me," Abby pushed.

Olivia's smile vanished. "Abby, if I tell you I don't want you to get mad at me."

Abby raised her perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Why would I get mad?"

"Because," Olivia inhaled deeply. "It's the President. I like the President. And I think he likes me. No….I know he likes me."

Abby did not react. She did not have time to.

Because by then, Cyrus Beene appeared at the door, distraught and uncomfortable.

"Olivia. How would you like to go to France?"


	8. Chapter 8

"Can you stop being mad at me?" Olivia pleaded, standing in the corner of her office, arms crossed.

Abby continued to wordlessly sort Olivia's things in a briefcase. Olivia had agreed to go to France because above anything, she would help Fitz. He deserved it.

And maybe Olivia deserved this shade but she didn't feel good about it.

"Abby."

"I'm not mad at you," Abby mumbled, latching the clip on the briefcase.

Olivia was set to go to the sun it that evening, but she couldn't do it with Abby throwing shade at her. She knew that she was wrong in what she was doing - messing around with a married man? That was not of the highest moral conviction and she knew it. She was not proud of it. But she could not lie to herself - not anymore. She liked Fitz and she could not stop thinking about him. With her. Together.

"I'm not mad," Abby repeated, looking up this time. "I just don't know what you want me to say, Liv. Every woman comes into the administration and gets heart eyes for him and I-"

"Abby!" Olivia approached Abby, her voice low and firm. "This is not some meaningless crush. If it were...I would not have told you. It wouldn't have been important enough."

Abby turned to Olivia and they just looked at each other for a minute.

Olivia inhaled, brutal honesty in her voice. "But it _was_ important enough. Because I feel a certain way for him...and you know him, Abby. You know that this is not just a thing he does. This actually means something. I know you know that."

Abby pressed her lips together. Liv was right - she knew Fitz. He was a good man and he would not have a thing with another woman if he could help it. But apparently, he couldn't. This was different.

But that did not change the fact that it was wrong.

"I'm sorry," Abby said softly. "I know it isn't easy…falling in love."

"We're not in love," Olivia corrected her quickly. Then she hesitated. Were they? No, it was too soon. Not yet. "But I'm scared, Abby. What do I do? What type of person does this make me?"

Olivia's voice was desperate. She had always been reasonable, always the good person, always responsible and never wrong. Now she was confused, now she was -

"Human," Abby replied. "You're human and it's okay."

"It's not okay," Olivia argued. "We kissed and I liked it. I loved it. And I wanted more, I still do. There is no world in which that is okay. He is unavailable and he is away, by definition he is away."

Abby didn't know what to do or say. Although it would make her job a hundred times harder, she had to accept her friend.

She leaned in to hug her. "Liv, it's okay. It really is okay."

Olivia took the hug, surprising even herself. Like she had said, VP was a lonely job. Every job she had was a lonely job. She was a great worker, an incredible one but she had never learned to trust anyone else. And maybe that was for the better back then.

But now?

She needed all the support she could get.

Olivia inhaled, trying to hold back her tears. "This feeling real emotions? It's new to me."

"I know," Abby whispered against Olivia's shoulder. "It's new for all of us."

* * *

"Am I going with you?"

Fitz looked up at Mellie, trying to maintain a neutral expression. "If you want to."

"What's that supposed to me?" Mellie looked up from her dinner plate. "Really, Fitz, drop this attitude."

"I'm not trying to pick a fight with you," Fitz said, exasperated. And he really wasn't. He didn't care whether Mellie came to France or not. If Olivia was there with him, nothing could ruin it. "I don't understand why you constantly need to make things more than they are."

Mellie went on, as if she hadn't heard him. "You think you're the shit because your approval ratings are up? Well guess what, Fitz? You're still nothing."

"And you love making that very clear to me," Fitz scoffed, taking a sip of his water. Lately, everyone was getting on his nerves and he was sick of taking their crap. "I don't give, okay? I don't care what you do. I just don't care."

Mellie raised her voice. "That's your problem, Fitz! You never do!"

And she was right, he had to admit. Fitz did not care about anything she did, not anymore. He didn't even hate her. It was a bitter indifference. There was no passion and there was no love. They barely spoke to each other throughout the day and when they did, it was just political small talk and enough to stay civilized. Enough to fool the staff that everything was okay even when it so obviously wasn't.

It had been a while since Olivia had showed up at the residence and a while since they had a meaningful moment together. But she was all he could think about still. Just the smallest of stolen minutes meant the world to him and he unapologetically cared about her more than he had ever cared about any other woman.

"Do you want a divorce?" Fitz asked her point blank, knowing very well that that was what he wanted.

He also knew that it would be a complicated divorce - maybe even the most complicated one in history. The only divorce to ever happen while in office. And with Teddy in the equation, his ratings would definitely take a hit.

But….he wasn't happy. A while ago, he would not have cared about his happiness. It was only until Liv came along and showed him his worth that he ever even considered that he deserved more.

And anything would be more than Mellie.

The point was, Fitz wasn't in love with her. And he knew that she wasn't in love with him. There was nothing in between them and it was neither of their fault. It just wasn't.

Mellie bit the inside of her lip. She, unlike Fitz, did not know what she wanted. She wanted power but she did not know how to get there without Fitz. She needed him, even if she did not want him. That much was clear.

Mellie stood up and threw her napkin on her uneaten plate. He could not read her expression - he never could. They didn't know each other like that and they never would. "You're the President. You don't get off that easy."


End file.
